SHORE TO SHORE FESTIVAL PARADE

We are in Essaouira right now and seems we made a good choice for a place to relax. The city is pretty chilled with a nice Medina (comparing with Marrekech is way smaller but is more open, feels more fresh), beach, portuguese castle (geeez portuguese history is all around) and it's mostly famous for kitesurf and windsurf pratice.

I love when I'm in a foreign place and there's a festival or a traditional party going on. I heard that Essaouira offers many festivals, esp. during Summer. It's a cultural and artistic area, just look around you and you see paintings, music, theatre around you.

Shore to Shore Festival is an Anglo-Moroccan intercultural Festival organized by two local associations called Mogador Song and Music Association and Essaouira Mogador Association and British Foundation REEF. The idea is to provide opportunities for experiencing each culture and to create something new.

Moroccan partners have also visited Britain, giving concerts and working with young people in schools.

During the Festival you can participate in concerts, exhibitions and workshops about theatre, dance, instrument making, storytelling, cookery, gardening, art and photography.

I think this is a brilliant idea and I wish I could see more Cultural Exchange among citizens to open their minds, learn how other cultures live and their costumes, to share ideas, lifestyles, opinions and to have fun :)

If you want to read more info about Shore to Shore Project and the organisations involved click here, here and here.

The parade was great, we had a good time following. I liked especially the costumes they were wearing, the instrument they were playing and the dancing was hilarious.

A small note just to say I'm enjoying each minute of Morocco. Not only the place itself, also the active and participative people we met, we fell inspired to start doing Random Acts of Kindness. Never heard about this? Check it out here.

I have a need of creating something when on the road. It's not fun to just visit different places and learn about their cultures anymore. Now I want more. I want to feel useful in some sense. The idea around the Shore to Shore Festival plus these inspiring people we meet are bringing me energy to start something new. Let's see what future brings... going with the flow.

Much love and light in your way

- Marta